Among several new genera which I have recently described, is one from N. E. Australia, belonging to Proteaceae and closely allied to Knightia, with which it has a 4-seeded carpel in common.1 The wings however surround the whole seed, the latter resembling those of Cardwellia. The latter genus has however pendulous, very numerous seeds, the direction of the raphe very different, and the radicle lateral. The disposition of the flowers of the new genus, on which I bestowed the name Darlingia, is spicate. As long as the seeds of Knightia strobilina remain unknown, I should not feel justified to consociate my plant with Labillardière's; and, though in Orites species with half-winged and entirely winged seeds exist, I prefer to keep the Australian plant distinct as a genus until further comparisons can be instituted. Meanwhile the plant has passed to some museums as Knightia (Eucarpha) Darlingia, and to some as Darlingia spectatissima. The style is deciduous, but that character is of no avail in Grevillia.2
Yours, etc.,
Ferdinand Mueller.
February 24, 1866.
Cardwellia
Darlingia spectatissima
Grevillia
Knightia (Eucarpha) Darlingia
Knightia strobilina
Orites
Proteaceae
M erected Darlingia (D. spectatissima) in B66.02.02, pp. 152-3; he had previously described it as Helicia darlingiana in B65.04.01, p. 24.
Typesetters' error for Grevillea?
Letter not found. The text given here is from 'Correspondence. Darlingia, a New Genus of Proteaceae', Journal of botany, British and foreign, vol. 4, 1866, p. 268 (B66.08.03).
Please cite as “FVM-66-02-24a,” in Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, edited by R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora†, J.H. Voigt† and Monika Wells accessed on